A shared shopping and to-do list
A sheet of paper on the fridge or a shared note on your phones: choose whatever you both actually open. Something ran out, add it right away; bought it, cross it off.
Tools
Tools
By tools in a shared home we mean more than a screwdriver and a hammer. Shared lists, a calendar and a folder of manuals are just as useful: they spare you questions like "Do we have bread?", "When is the repair person coming?" and "Where's the warranty for the washing machine?" Below is a small set that helps two people run a household without constant reminders, plus a basic toolbox for minor repairs. Specific models and apps don't matter: use whatever is convenient for both of you.
A shared list in plain sight saves more nerves than any new tool.
How this section works: we list items by purpose and do not name brands, models, apps or prices. See the instructions for how to use a specific tool.
To run a home together
Things that keep your agreements in view for both of you.
A shared calendar
It holds repair visits, big cleaning days, wardrobe switches, trips and guests' arrivals. A wall calendar or a shared calendar on your phones is enough.
A folder for manuals and warranties
One place for furniture and appliance paperwork: manuals, warranty cards, receipts. Whichever of you calls for service won't have to dig through every drawer.
Boxes and labels
Labeled boxes for seasonal things, documents, cables and small items. The label should make sense to both of you: not "stuff" but "winter hats and gloves."
A basic toolbox
A kit for minor repairs that either of you can use.
Tape measure
Helps you check whether a new wardrobe will fit in an alcove and whether the sofa will go through the doorway, before you commit to buying.
Level
Needed to hang a shelf, a picture or a curtain rod straight the first time and to notice whether a shelving unit is leaning.
Screwdrivers
A set with different tips for furniture hardware, handles and hinges. Match the screwdriver exactly to the screw head so you don't strip it.
Hammer
For small nails and furniture assembly. Before driving anything into a wall, make sure there is no wiring running at that spot.
Painter's tape
Protects edges when painting, helps mark out where shelves will go and works as a temporary box label during a move.
Read next
- How-to
How to split household chores without arguments, combine your belongings when moving in and pick a wall color together using samples.
- Care
Seasonal care of the home and belongings: switching wardrobes, textiles, wallpaper, floors and shoes, and who is responsible for what.
- Planning
Renovating together: a wish list, the order of work, one point of contact with contractors, stages and sign-off, a buffer in the budget.
What we rely on
- Instructions and care labels from makers of clothing, furniture and appliances
- Editorial materials of the Femina Maskulina guide
Femina Maskulina's advice is written in general terms and relies on the care labels and instructions from makers of clothing, furniture and appliances, as well as on widely accepted home safety rules. Check how to wash an item or clean a surface on its care label or marking, ask your building management about remodeling, leave electrical work to an electrician and anything involving gas to the gas service.